Local News 5/15/17

FLOOD OUTLOOK

(Riverton) – Main stem rivers like the Big Wind, Little Wind, Sweetwater and the South Fork of the Shoshone are expected to flow at or above bank-full levels causing minor flooding of low-lying areas through tomorrow (Tuesday).

The National Weather Service says rain is in the forecast this week, mainly over the Big Horn and Shoshone basins, and the flood potential will greatly increase.

High river flows will cause unstable river banks, so care should be taken to keep small children and pets away from them.

TRIBAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE

(Lander) – Education issues are a large part of the agenda for a May 22 and 23 meeting of the Wyoming Legislature’s Select Committee on Tribal Relations at The Inn of Lander.

The committee will hear from representatives of the Wyoming Department of Education, Fremont County School Districts and the Bureau of Indian Education regarding issues such as the Indian Education for All program and ways to improve graduation rates for Native American students.

Reservation health, Intergovernmental matters, family services and law enforcement are other issues that will be considered by the committee.

Legal issues for discussion include cattle rustling, crime related to substance abuse and driving under the influence.

DRIVING LANE GONE ON CHIEF JOSEPH HIGHWAY

(Cody) – A portion of the northbound lane on the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway near Dead Indian Creek has been lost due to a moisture-related landslide.

The Wyoming Department of Transportation has been able to maintain two-way traffic in the area but says there may not be enough room for even one-way travel if the slide continues to move this spring and summer.

The road to Cooke City, Montana is now open for the season so people have another way out of the Sunlight and Crandall areas if the entire width of the highway is lost.

NEW AG CENSUS

(Riverton) – Wyoming’s farmers and ranchers will soon have the opportunity to represent their businesses by taking part in the 2017 Census of Agriculture.

Conducted every five years by the USDA, the census is the only complete count of US farms and ranches and the people who operate them, including any operation where products are raised or sold generating a thousand dollars or more in revenue.

University of Wyoming extension specialist Cole Ehmke says it important for all sizes of operations to participate in the census as it shows how agriculture is changing and shapes policies, services assistance programs.

If you haven’t participated in the census before, sign up at agcensus.usda.gov by June 30.